Episode 7: So Real, So True, So Valid

Choral Connectivity: A People-First Approach to Singing

"You can write an amazing score or an amazing song, but it can sit in a drawer forever if there's no people to sing it."
This episode is near and dear to my heart, as I interview two of my long-time students. This past summer at our South Shore Children's Chorus Summer Choral Intensive, these two singers came up with a saying about my direction: "so real, so true, so valid." This was a mantra they would chant (and became our summer inside joke with the whole choir) every time I would stop and give a correction or praise in rehearsal. My students (unbeknownst to them) validated everything I had been trying to communicate: honesty. That small saying/joke that they giggled over impacted me as an educator, and told me I was on the right track in my relationship with my students.
In this episode, my students and I explore the story behind this inside joke, and why having an open and honest director makes a difference. From a student perspective, they give insight to having a "safe space" in the classroom, and how directors can best create a bond of trust between their students.
This episode is heartwarming for anyone who teaches, and I hope you really enjoy it! Let me know what you think at www.choralconnectivity.com. This episode is available anywhere you listen to podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!